The moment you walk into Kissa Tanto, you are transported.

The aesthetic bleeds through the walls, creating an atmosphere that leaves you curious. Wanting more. Questions pour in, and before you even have a chance to verbalize them. The conversation beings. The menu greets you, not just with its beautiful selection that makes it oh so difficult to choose, but quite literally. “Hello, Perfect” … and I could say the same about you. Oh hello, seasonally fresh ingredients. Hi, creative cocktails. It’s nice to finally meet you. As a diner, you are not only welcomed but desired to be here. We ordered the famous octopus and the famous fish, and yes it was as good as everyone said it would be. The fried fish is exactly how you’d want it to be. Tasting like the sea and not the oil, crispy exterior with an interior that totally melts in your mouth. The pasta, while special from the ham hock and miso butter reads better than it ate. Tasty and balanced, but underwhelming. The tomato salad was perfect for the season, and yet another greeting. Perhaps above all, the Tokyo cocktail. The plum salt, a familiar flavor for someone who grew up in Hawai’i or who has the taste of Li Hing Mui in their repertoire, but a welcome surprise for those unfamiliar. By the end of the meal, I knew it wasn’t goodbye. But a “see you next time.” Just as the conversation had begun, it ended - with curiosity and yearning for more.